Tell it Right, Start it Right Campaign

Please support the Down's Syndrome Association 'Tell It Right, Start It Right Campaign'. It promotes positive attitudes in NIPT. More information and the donation page can be found on the following link.

http://www.downs-syndrome.org.uk/about/campaigns/tell-it-right-start-it-right/

A parent’s recent experience of NIPT:

“Someone from the hospital called me on my mobile. At the time I was in my open plan office at work. She did not ask if I was OK to talk. Instead she just went straight to saying that the blood test had come back positive for Trisomy 21. At the time I couldn’t remember whether Down’s syndrome was Trisomy 21 or another of the Trisomies.
If someone is going to give such significant news over the phone, they should check that they are in a position to talk and that they have some privacy. I also think that plain English should have been used. Trisomy 21 may be the medical term but almost everyone knows the condition as Down’s syndrome and I can’t be the only person who wouldn’t understand what she was saying.
Once I found a private place I was able to confirm what the test results meant. I was then told that I should come in that afternoon for CVS or amnio (I can’t remember which it was I was offered) to confirm the finding and determine which twin was affected. I wasn’t asked if I actually wanted invasive testing and it wasn’t presented to me as an option. I was told I should do it and I should do it that afternoon. I told her I didn’t actually want invasive testing because of the risk to the babies. She described the risk as small, but couldn’t actually tell me what it was when dealing with twins. She was pretty pushy that I should come in.
I don’t believe there was any reason I had to come in that day. I assume most people would want more information sooner rather than later but I would have been fine having a couple of extra days to process the news. I am pro-choice but we had discussed it and already decided that if one of the babies had Down’s syndrome we wouldn’t want a termination. And even if I had wanted one, I was only 14 weeks along – there was enough time to spend a few days thinking about it before doing anything invasive”

Sense

9/10 Parents said that their child had less opportunity to play

Disabled children miss out on vital play opportunities, according to new report by Sense. Read more: http://bit.ly/1S1mnBm and watch this moving video highlighting the challenges disabled children face https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UCfBd6O5h8

Depression and Pregnancy/Childbirth

Thanks to the information from the Mind season on BBC - especially "My Baby, Psychosis and Me" I have been looking into supporting parent's mental health during pregnancy.

Mothers and fathers who experience some issues with their mental health during pregnancy and after birth should not be afraid of the stigma surrounding any mental health issues. As a society I feel we should accept and support these parents during a very stressful time of anyone's life!

From watching "My, Baby, Psychosis and Me" I have learned that parents are often kept with their baby unless under very extreme circumstances - so parents need not fear separation from their child if they speak about their problems and seek support from others.
I feel it is important to raise awareness of this issue, as our duty as family, friends and practitioners is to support and care those we come into contact with and love.

This following link is a post to an article discussing whether mothers should have screening for depression in the UK. 

http://www.netmums.com/pregnancy/pregnancy-problems/21-reasons-why-the-uk-should-screen-women-for-depression-in-pregnancy

My Baby, Psychosis and Me.

Really looking forward to watching "My Baby, Psychosis and Me" tonight on BBC One. The episode will document the story of two brave mothers whose childbirth triggered postpartum psychosis - also touched upon by BBC One's Call the Midwife last Sunday.

"This condition is absolutely treatable and women shouldn't hesitate to seek help, but many hide their symptoms"

Dr Alain Gregoire, Winchester Mother and Baby Unit

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35543747